Ash tray



March 1, 1955 s. KAUFMAN ET AL 2,703,091

ASH TRAY Filed Nov. 29, 1954 l8 mm lh I I |n| INVENIORS Samuel Kaufman Halo/Pb Kaufman United States Patent 2,703,091 ASH TRAY Samuel Kaufman and Adolph Kaufman, New York, N. Y.

Application November 29, 1954, Serial No. 471,790 -3 Claims. (Cl. 131-:-235) This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in ash trays, and the principal object of the invention is to substantially reduce the usual hazards incident to smoking by automatically extinguishing a burning cigarette deposited therein.

Another important object of this invention is to facilitate deliberate or intended extinguishing of burning cigarettes in a simple and an efiicient manner.

Briefly, the invention contemplates the provision of an ash tray including a substantially dish-shaped receptacle provided in its upper portion with an annular seat for a combined cigarette rest, extinguisher and guide element, the latter being of a helical configuration and coacting with the aforementioned seat in such manner that when a burning cigarette is inserted with the lighted end within the ash tray in the helical element, ashes from the cigarette drop into the receptacle and the cigarette is automatically extinguished when the burning end thereof comes in contact with the convolutions or coils of the element. Moreover, the coaction of the helical element with its seat is such that a burning cigarette may be passed downwardly through or between the convolutions of the element and be guided thereby so as to extinguish the same by pressing the lighted end against the seat. Although the cigarette holding and extinguishing element is so disposed in its seat that it is readily accessible, the invention nevertheless positively safeguards against any possibility of the cigarette dropping or falling out of the ash tray when the cigarette is seated in said element with the lighted end within the tray.

Other features of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, pleasing appearance, sanitary and dependable operation, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention resides in the arrangement of parts and details of construction substantially as shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof; and

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken substantially in the plane of the line 33 in Figure 1.

The ash tray constructed in accordance with the invention is designated generally by the numeral and embodies in its construction a substantially circular, dishshaped receptacle 11 having an open top and including a bottom 12 and an annular or perimetric wall 13. If desired, the entire ash tray may be supported by a plurality of suitable legs 14 secured to the underside of the bottom 12, as shown.

The perimetric wall 13 of the receptacle 11 is provided with an outwardly offset upper portion affording an upright wall member 15 and a shoulder 16 at the lower edge of the latter, the wall member 15 and the shoulder 16 providing an annular seat 17 located at the upper portion of the receptacle for a combined cigarette rest, extinguisher and snufier guide element 18, hereinafter to be described.

The element 18 is formed from a single piece of resilient wire wound into a substantially circular or annular helix, the ends of the wire being suitably secured together as shown at 19. The element 18 is removably positioned in the aforementioned seat 17 and the center of the con- I 2,703,091 Patented Mfi 1' ice volutions of the helix is located below the upper edge of the wall member 15. The outside diameter of the annular helix being greater than the inside diameter of the wall member 15 so that the element 18 exertsa radial outward pressure against the wall member and supports or sustains itself in the seat 17. At the same time, the element 18 also engages the shoulder 16 of the seat 17, which limits the downward extent to which the element 18 can be inserted in the upper portion of the-receptacle, as shown in Figure 3. 3 e I i' The element 18 has spaced convolutions 18' the spacing between these convolutions at the inside 'ofthe member is such that when a cigarette'is inserted therebetween as indicated at 19, it is frictionally engaged and held thereby. In this manner the element 18 provides a cigarette rest and it is to be noted that since the upper portions of the convolutions 18' project above the upper edge of the wall member 15, a convenient placing of a cigarette therebetween is facilitated. Moreover, the inner portions of the convolutions 18' project inwardly into the receptacle 11 beyond the inner edge of the shoulder 16, so that ashes from the burning cigarette may fall to the bottom 12 of the receptacle.

When the burning end of the cigarette comes in contact with the convolutions 18' of the element 18, it is automatically extinguished by the resilient compressing action thereof, this being attained without any possibility of the cigarette falling or dropping out of the ash tray inasmuch as the element 18 and most of the cigarette gripped thereby are disposed within the receptacle 11 itself. In this manner the element also provides an automatic cigarette extinguisher.

By virtue of the endless, circular configuration of the helical element 18, the convolutions 18' are spaced further apart at the outside than at the inside thereof and the spacing of the convolutions at the outside of the member is such that a cigarette may be passed down wardly freely therebetween and be guided thereby as indicated at 20, and its burning end may be pressed against the shoulder 16 for snufiing the same. For this purpose, the shoulder 16 is sloped radially inwardly in the receptacle 11 so as to abut the burning end of the cigarette substantially at right angles as shown, and so that any burning particles of tobacco or ashes may fall into the receptacle. Thus, the element 18 also functions as a guide.

As will be readily noted, the element 18 is quickly and easily removable from the receptacle 11 to facilitate cleaning or washing of the receptacle, including the seat While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, various modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly, it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure and various modifications may be resorted to, such as may lie within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In an ash tray, the combination of a substantially circular dish-shaped receptacle having a perimetric wall provided with an outwardly ofifset upper portion affording a substantially upright wall member and a shoulder at the lower edge of said wall member, said wall member together with said shoulder providing an annular seat located adjacent to the upper portion of said receptacle, and a combined cigarette rest and snutfer element comprising a substantially circular resilient wire helix removably positioned in said seat, the normal outside diameter of said helix being greater than the inside diameter of said wall member whereby said element exerts a radial outward pressure against the wall member to sustain itself in said seat, said helix having spaced convolutions adapted to receive therebetween and frictionally engage a cigarette for holding and extinguishing the same.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the center of the convolutions of said helix is located below the upper edge of said wall member, whereby said element is retained in said seat.

3. In an ash tray, the combination of a substantially circular dish-shaped receptacle having a perimetric wall provided with an outwardly offset upper portion afiording a substantially upright wall member and a shoulder at the lower edge of said wall member, said wall member together with said shoulder providing an annular seat located adjacent to the upper portion of said receptacle, and a combined cigarette rest, extinguisher and guide element comprising an annular resilient wire helix removably positioned in said seat, the normal outside diameter of said annular helix being greater than the inside diameter of said wall member whereby said element exerts a radial outward pressure against the wall member to sustain itself in said seat, said helix having convolutions spaced apart at the outside a greater distance than at the inside thereof, the radial inner portions of said convolutions being adapted to receive therebetween and frictionally engage a cigarette for holding and extinguishing the same, and the radial outer portions of said convolu- 4 tions constituting guides for a cigarette to a position downwardly against said shoulder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

